Mixed Feelings
by AliceBellaShip
Summary: This is how I think Eragon should have told Roran and the rest of Carvahall about him becoming a Dragon Rider. It's EragonxArya romance. Reviews are appreciated...
1. Chapter 1: Betrothed?

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Series. It belongs to Christopher Paolini**

**Ok so this is an Eragon fanfiction. This is how I wish Carvahall found out about Eragon being a Dragon Rider. Just pretend that the Ra'zac never came and that the villagers are still living in Palancar Valley. **

_**Italics mean either Saphira is talking or Eragon or someone else are thinking those things.**_

It was two days after the battle of the Burning Plains and you could still smell the stench of the rotting corpses in the air. Eragon was busy pacing restlessly in his tent, Murtagh's final words echoing around his head.

Saphira did her best to try and comfort him but to no avail. He refused to listen to her. Saphira was growing impatient so when finally as he walked past her for the fiftieth time she finally lost it and roared _"ERAGON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOURSELF? YOU ARE A MESS. STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT TRAITOR AND GET A GRIP!"_ and then she added in a much softer voice _"Eragon, I know it's hard to deal with but you must remember what Arya said. You are not your father or your brother. You do not need to follow the same path that they did."_

Eragon, who had fallen over with surprise when Saphira roared, slowly got to his feet and bowed his head. "You are right as always Saphira. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

Saphira snorted and said,_ "I know little one, I know."_ Suddenly an idea popped into her head and she exclaimed _"Eragon, perhaps we can take a short break and go visit your cousin in that little town of yours."_

Eragon looked at her for a moment and then sighed, "I wish we could but Nasuada would not let us leave. There is too much to be done."

"_Eragon, look at yourself. You need this break and if Nasuada does not see that then I will kidnap you and she will not be able to do anything about it." _Eragon chuckled.

"Alright, alright, I'll go ask her." Eragon stood up and pushed open the flap to his tent. Bright sunlight greeted him and he had to squint while he waited for his eyes to adjust. He slowly made his way through the maze of tents to Nasuada's. He silently pulled the flap open and stepped in. Nasuada quickly looked up from her desk and smiled when she saw him.

"Eragon. It's good to see you out of your tent. You look bet…" she stopped talking as she examined him closer. "Why, you look bloody awful. What have you been doing to yourself?" Eragon shrugged.

"Actually that is sort of the reason that I am here my Lady. I come to ask you if Saphira and I might be granted a few days off to go on a trip."

Nasuada studied him curiously, "A trip? To where may I ask?"

"To Carvahall, the village where I grew up. I haven't seen my cousin for over a year. I fear that he might be angry with me. I left without telling him anything and I need to tell him what really happened."

Nasuada sighed, "Well I don't think that anything I say will make you change your mind so I'll allow it…on one condition."

"What's the condition?" asked Eragon.

"Oh nothing much. Just that Arya must go with you for protection."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Eragon. Nasuada raised her eyebrows. "Uh, I mean of course that will be okay." Nasuada nodded.

"I shall have her informed Shadeslayer. You may go now." Eragon nodded and bowed before striding out of the tent.

"_I'm doomed. Going on a trip alone with Arya. I'm bound to say something stupid." _Saphira looked quite amused as she watched him walk around in circles muttering nonsense under his breath.

Letting out a puff of smoke Saphira said, _"Eragon perhaps this won't be so bad after all. You might be able to mend the friendship between you two."_

"_Perhaps."_ Agreed Eragon, _"I just hope she doesn't think that I made the suggestion."_

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"WHAT!" exclaimed Arya in an outburst that was very unlike her. Nasuada stared at her strangely.

"What is the problem with you accompanying Eragon to Carvahall? Asked Nasuada.

Arya ignored the question and instead asked in a deadly voice, "Did he suggest this?"

"No. I did. Why?"

"No reason," replied Arya. "And yes I shall accompany him." She nodded curtly and departed. Nasuada shook her head.

"Elves." She muttered.

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The next day dawned bright and early. Eragon had just finished packing and was waiting for Arya. Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder. Eragon was so startled that he jumped about a foot in the air. He quickly turned around to see Arya looking very amused at his reaction.

"You need to be more aware Shadeslayer." said Arya. Eragon blushed; annoyed that he hadn't been paying attention.

"I shall. Good morning Arya Svit-Kona. How was your night?" asked Eragon.

"It was fine. How was yours?

"Fine. Shall we leave now?" Arya nodded and Eragon extended his hand for the packs she was carrying. He quickly jumped on to Saphira, attached the packs to her saddle, and extended his hand for her to grab. Arya gave him a look that plainly meant 'I don't need your help' but before Eragon could draw his hand away she grasped it and allowed Eragon to pull her up. He moved backward a bit so that she could sit in front of him and when they were settled and his arms were, to his delight, around Arya's waist Saphira jumped into the air and with a roar of her wings, took off into the distance.

"_How long do you think it will take us to get there Saphira?" _asked Eragon.

"_About a day little one, if we do not stop all that much. Oh and Eragon, try to talk to Arya. I know that you need her friendship more than anything."_

They flew on, nobody saying anything. Eragon was consumed by his own thoughts. _What if Roran is angry with me? Will the villagers accept me?_ Suddenly Eragon felt someone touch his mind. He instantly started to put up barriers but before he could he heard a voice say _"Eragon, it's just me."_

"_Arya?"_

"_Yes. You would not be able to hear me over the wind if I spoke out loud. I apologize if I startled you. I sense that you are troubled and I wanted to know if I could help at all."_

"_Thank you for your concern Arya Svit-Kona but I do not wish to trouble you with my problems."_

"_It is no trouble Argetlam. I do not wish to see you looking so miserable."_

"_I…_he paused, remembering Saphira's words, "_I'm worried about seeing my cousin and the villagers again. I believe that they are angry with me…and what's worse is that they have every right to be. I fled Carvahall and they probably think me a coward. They may blame me for what happened to my uncle and the farm."_

"_And what happened to your uncle and your farm?"_ asked Arya. With a start Eragon realized that Arya had no idea what had occurred after she transported the egg to the Spine. He slowly told her of Saphira's hatching, the Ra'zac, Sloan, and the death and burning of his farm. When he had finished he had tears in his eyes. He tried to hold them back. He did not want Arya to think he was so weak. Just as he was about to brush a stray tear from his cheek, Arya turned around in her seat and cupped his cheek, saying, _"It is not a weakness to cry Eragon." _Reassured by her words he nodded and said,

"_Thank you Arya, for listening to me. I haven't told anyone this, except for Saphira." _She nodded and turned her back to Eragon.

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By the time night had fallen Eragon, Saphira and Arya were in sight of Carvahall. Saphira landed on the edge of the waterfall where Eragon used to hunt.

"_Should we go into town today?" _asked Saphira.

"No, I think we should wait until tomorrow so that the villagers don't think we're enemies." Arya laughed at this.

"I think the people will think we are enemies even if we visit in broad daylight. Have you forgotten that you look just like one of my people Eragon? They will not recognize you." Eragon hadn't thought of this. Finally he sighed and said,

"Oh well I suppose we'll deal with it tomorrow." After Arya and Saphira agreed they began to set up camp.

After eating a dinner consisting of fresh fruits and bread Arya got up from her place by the fire and said, "Do you wish to spar with me Shadeslayer?" Eragon nodded and got up and retrieved the sword he had borrowed from the Varden.

As they began their duel, Eragon noticed just how much he had changed. Before, he couldn't even hope to match Arya's speed or agility, but now he found himself blocking all of her shots. Still, Arya wasn't one of the strongest elves for nothing. Even with his increased skills Eragon still could not land a blow on her. He tried all of his most complex attacks but her sword was there to block his every time.

They continued fighting like this for another hour before Eragon, who had been trying out some new and difficult footwork to surprise her, tripped and crashed right into the unsuspecting Arya, knocking them both to the ground. Eragon landed on top of her and groaned when his head smashed into hers as they both tried to free themselves from the tangle of limbs. Saphira snorted with amusement. Finally, Eragon decided that struggling wasn't going to work so he fell limp. Arya seemed to realize what he was doing so she also stopped moving. They quickly untangled themselves and just as Eragon was about to get off her he saw her eyes, staring up at him, and he could not bear to tear away his gaze. They looked into each other's eyes and then Eragon decided to do something very, very stupid. In one swift motion he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

"_ERAGON!" _yelled Saphira in his head. Startled, Eragon came to his senses and quickly pulled away from the shocked Arya and jumped off her.

"Arya…I cry your pardon… I did not mean to…" he trailed off, unable to continue.

"_Now I've done it…just when she had accepted my friendship back." _He offered his hand to her but instead of taking it she knocked it away and ran into the spine. "Arya!" he cried. He made to go after her but Saphira blocked his path.

"_Don't make things any worse than they already are Eragon."_ Eragon muttered many oaths before quietly saying,

"Oh Saphira…why can I not control myself? I cause her so much pain. Perhaps after this journey I shall see her no more. I do not wish to cause her any more suffering. She has already been through too much."

"_I know little one. But what I want to know is what possessed you to kiss her?"_

"I looked into her eyes and they were so captivating that I did not think. I realize now that it is true what she told me in Ellesmera. I am too young. Look at me. Look at how foolish I am. Why can I not let go?"

"_Eragon…" _said Saphira sadly. _"This isn't some little crush is it?"_

"No Saphira. I…I love her."

Unbeknownst to them Arya was sitting in a tree close by, listening to Eragon. Tears started to fall when she heard Eragon say that he loved her.

"_Oh Eragon, why do you make my life so complicated. I cannot let my feelings get in the way of my judgment. I can't tell you Eragon but, the truth is, I love you too._

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The next day dawned bright and early. Eragon groaned and covered his eyes against the morning sunlight. _"Eragon, wake up!"_

"Go away Saphira…I wanna sleep," mumbled Eragon. Saphira snorted impatiently.

"_Eragon, Arya is back so wake UP!" _This got Eragon's attention. He quickly bolted out of his blankets and glanced around him. Sure enough there was Arya, sitting around the ashes of where their fire had been last night. Eragon cautiously made his way towards her. When he was right beside her he cleared his throat. She glanced up at him.

"Arya..I" she stopped his stuttering to apologize with a wave of her hand.

"Please Eragon…let us forget about it." Eragon nodded. Arya obviously wanted to act like nothing had happened and Eragon was happy to comply. "Shall we fly down to the village," asked Arya.

"_I think we should fly to the outskirts of the village and land there. I don't feel like dodging spears and arrows this early in the morning," _said Saphira. They all agreed and once they had packed all of their things they climbed onto Saphira and took off.

The flight lasted only a few minutes and soon Saphira was coming to a halt on the edge of Carvahall. Eragon and Arya dismounted and Eragon said, _"Saphira, walk behind us in case anything goes wrong," _Saphira nodded and took her place behind them.

Together the three of them walked into the town. Eragon snuck a glance at Arya and saw that she had covered her ears with her hair.

"_Do you think I should do the same?"_ asked Eragon.

"_Whatever you want little one. I don't think it matters all that much."_ answered Saphira. Eragon shrugged at looked around him. They had just walked past the first house when a scream rang out in the chill morning air. Eragon spun around to see Tara, Morn's wife, staring wide eyed at Saphira. It seemed that her scream had alerted most of the village because the next moment people were rushing toward the sound of the scream, trying to find out what happened. Five men with spears approached Eragon and Arya and said, "Who are you and what do you want?" Eragon looked closely at the man who had spoken and let out a great chuckle.

"Why Roran, do you not know who I am?" The man, Roran, shook his head. "Really? Well I'll give you a hint. I was your favorite playmate as a child." Roran still appeared confused. Arya rolled her eyes.

'_Men,'_ she thought, '_They never get to the point.'_

"Eragon, must we waste time with this?" she asked. Her words caused a gasp that spread throughout the crowd. Roran lowered his spear and said,

"Eragon? Is that really you?"

"Yes it is cousin," replied Eragon

"What happened to you?" asked Roran. "Why did you flee like that?" Eragon sighed and began to tell his story over again to the villagers. When he had finished he said,

"I wanted to come back here to see you Roran. I knew that you blamed your father's death on me." The crowd was silent, still processing the fact that Eragon was a Dragon Rider. Then Sloan approached and said,

"Who is that then?" he pointed to Arya.

"That is Arya, ambassador for the elves," the crowd began murmuring among themselves as Arya pulled back her hair to reveal her pointed ears.

"Well come on then…let's get you three two inside," said Elain, Horst's wife.

"HOLD IT!" yelled Sloan. "We may allow Eragon in but I refuse to let and _elf_ into this town. They are cursed creatures who meddle with magic." Eragon bristled at these words. He could handle Sloan insulting him but he crossed the line when he started to insult Arya. Unfortunately, most of Carvahall seemed to agree with him.

"If you allow me in then you can allow Arya in," retorted Eragon.

"Oh? And why is that?" sneered Sloan. Saphira released a warning growl.

"Because…because…she…I," Eragon struggled to think of a good reason that would not frighten the villagers.

"Because we are betrothed," said Arya calmly. Eragon sharply turned his head to look at her.

"_I'm sorry Eragon but they would not let me in any other way and I have strict orders to stay with you at all times. I wouldn't have said it if I could have helped it." _said Arya through her mind. Eragon nodded, unable to speak. Roran approached and said,

"Is this really true cousin? Are you really engaged to that elf?" Eragon nodded and said,

"Yes, yes I am,"

"_Yes, you wish," _said Saphira so that only he could hear. Eragon grinned at her words.

Sloan however, wasn't buying it. "Oh really, so your engaged to this creature. Prove it!" he howled. Eragon was frozen in his spot. He had no idea of how to prove it without Arya killing him. He didn't have to think very long because Arya suddenly stepped close to him and took his hand in hers. When he glanced at her with confused eyes she said,

"_Trust me,"_ and then she stood on her toes and kissed him. Eragon's mind was clouded over the moment her lips touched his. He put his hand on her back and pushed her closer to him. To his surprise she didn't resist. In fact she melted in his arms. Eragon wished the moment could have gone on forever when she pulled back, her hand still interlocked with his. He looked over to Roran who was smirking fiercely.

'_Oh boy there is going to be some teasing tonight,'_ thought Eragon.

"Well now that that's settled can we please go in now?" said Elain. Roran nodded and the villagers dispersed to make room for them.

"_Eragon I am going to hunt. I don't know when I'll be back I can't go with you anyway. The houses are too small."_ said Saphira before taking off into the air. Once they had gotten to Horst's house Elain said,

"Let's get you settled in first shall we?" Eragon and Arya nodded and they followed her up the stairs. She walked all the way to the end of the hall before stopping and opening a door. "Here's where the two of you can stay." Eragon looked into the room and saw a dresser, a table and…ONE BED!

"Um, Elain not to be any trouble but there is only one bed in here." said Eragon.

"Well of course," said Elain, "It's fine isn't it? After all, the two of you are engaged." Eragon was about to say something but Arya silenced him by squeezing his hand hard.

"That will be fine. Thank you for going through all this trouble," said Arya politely. Elain smiled and nodded before closing the door, mumbling about how "Little Eragon has finally got himself a fiancée, and such a beautiful one at that."

After she was gone Eragon looked at Arya with raised eyebrows. Arya sighed and said, "It can't be helped Eragon."

"I'll sleep on the floor if you wish. I do not want to make you uncomfortable." said Eragon. Arya shook her head.

"I'm sure we can handle this Eragon, comfortably and _maturely_." Eragon noticed that she put a particular emphasis on the last word.

He gulped.

a/n-So how was it. Plz review and tell me if i should continue


	2. Chapter 2: A Day in Carvahall

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Inheritance Series. It belongs to Christopher Paolini.**

**Thank you so much for all the great reviews! I'll try to keep updating regularly but that might be hard when school starts again. Thanks to everyone for their support.**

**Now…on with the story…**

'_This is torture!'_ exclaimed Eragon to Saphira. Saphira growled and said,

"_Eragon. If you don't mind, can this wait until tomorrow? I am trying to go to sleep."_ Then she blocked her mind from his. Eragon growled. It was night in the town of Carvahall and everyone was asleep. Everyone except Eragon.

Eragon was very happy to be back where he grew up as a child. He had missed all the familiar faces and the familiar sights. There was only one problem. And that problem was in the form of a beautiful elf princess that was currently asleep beside him.

Eragon turned his head to look at her face, which was, for once, very peaceful. Eragon sighed. At least he could gaze at her without worrying that he would be caught. He closed his eyes for a minute, willing himself not to do anything stupid. When he was convinced that he had full control over his feelings he opened his eyes again, to find bright emerald ones staring right back at him. He jumped in surprise, got tangled in the blankets, and, with a small yelp, fell backwards over the bed.

He groaned as his back hit the cold wooden floors. He looked up to find Arya staring at him from the edge of the bed, holding back a smirk. Eragon wanted to disappear. Not only had he been caught staring at the elf, he had fallen off his bed in front of her too.

Eragon struggled to his feet and, when he had at last gotten his balance, he snuck a glance at Arya he was mortified to see her shaking with quiet laughter.

"What's so funny?" he growled. Arya looked up at him and said,

"You should have seen your face." before she started laughing again. Eragon's annoyance vanished as he watched Arya laugh. He had only heard her laughter a few times, and if he caused her to be this happy, then he would gladly suffer the embarrassment. He began to laugh too. He sat down on the bed and said,

"Well, if you think that was funny, then you need to hear about the time Roran and I went hunting for the first time."

"I would love to hear about that." said Arya. And so they sat, telling stories about their childhood accidents late into the night

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As the sun rose over the mountains of Palancar Valley the next morning Eragon awoke, but did not open his eyes. He was tired from staying up so late talking last night but, given the chance, he knew he would do it all over again.

He opened his eyes and turned to see Arya sleeping quietly on the other side of the bed. He grinned and rolled over, preparing to go back to sleep, when suddenly the door creaked open. An average human would not have been able to hear it, but thanks to his Elvin senses, Eragon heard it and prepared to leap out of bed at the first sign of danger. He heard footsteps tip-toeing toward his side of the bed and right when Eragon was about to jump he felt Arya suddenly grip his hand under the covers. She said, in his mind,

"_Eragon, it is your fool of a cousin coming to scare you." _Eragon resisted the urge to chuckle at this.

"_Well then, shall we teach him that it is not wise to surprise a sleeping elf and Rider?" _He felt Arya's amusement as she agreed.

"_On the count of three then,"_ said Eragon.

"_One," _Eragon could feel Roran creeping closer and closer.

"_Two," _Eragon begun to tense up, getting ready to jump.

"_THREE!" _Arya and Eragon leapt up from the bed and successfully pinned a shocked Roran, who had been about to reach for the bed covers. Roran let out a strangled yell as he struggled with the two of them, but to no avail. When it was clear that Roran was not going to win he fell limp, glaring at Eragon. Eragon laughed and got off of him, saying,

"Remember this Roran. Never…"

"Wake two sleeping elves," finished Arya. Eragon looked up quickly. Arya had just called him an elf. Arya met his gaze and said, _"If I did not know that it was you Eragon, I would mistake you for one of my own kind. You're elf enough for me to call you one. If it bothers you however, I shall not do it again."_

"_No. Arya Svit-Kona. It is an honor to be regarded as one of your people, especially by one as noble as yourself." _Arya nodded and returned her stare to the confused Roran. Suddenly the door burst open and Horst, Elain, and their son Baldor burst into the room.

"What's going on?!" yelled Horst.

"Are you three all right?" asked a worried Elain.

"We heard a yell." explained Baldor. Roran looked up sheepishly from the floor.

"I'm afraid it's my fault. I wanted to surprise Eragon but, he ended up scaring the life out of me." Elain, Horst, and Baldor burst out laughing.

"Well now that we know that nobody is being killed, we'll leave you in peace to get ready," said Elain. She turned and left the room, followed by Horst. Baldor, however, lingered, his eyes on Arya. Eragon noticed that Arya seemed a little uncomfortable under his gaze so he cleared his throat. Baldor seemed to snap out of a trance. He took one last look at Arya, nodded to Eragon and Roran and strode out of the room. Soon after Roran also excused himself and left the two in peace.

As Eragon, with his back turned, waited for Arya to finish dressing he contacted Saphira and said,

"_Saphira, what are your plans for today?"_

"_Nothing much little one. I do wish to explore a bit. This place brings back many memories."_

"_Yes, yes it does. Do you want us to come with you?" _asked Eragon.

"_No."_ said Saphira. _"You two go and enjoy yourselves."_ And then she was gone from his mind.

"Alright Eragon, you can turn around now." said Arya. Eragon nodded and did so. Arya was wearing a green tunic, much like the one she had worn when she had first visited him in Ellesmera. He felt his breath catch as he took in her beauty.

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After everyone had eaten breakfast Eragon set out, accompanied by Arya. He looked around him and smiled as he took in all the familiar sights and smells around him. As he was about to walk past Morn's tavern he saw a group of people gathered around two people, sparing with sticks. Upon closer inspection Eragon recognized the two as Roran and Albriech, Horst's other son. Eragon grinned as he saw Roran bring down Albriech with a well placed swing. The crowd cheered. Roran, spotting Eragon and Arya, shouted,

"Why don't you challenge someone cousin?" Eragon raised his eyebrows and looked at the people staring at him. He knew that there was only one person here that could beat him.

"Alright, then I challenge you Arya Svit-Kona," said Eragon, looking at her. A gasp ran through the crowd. And then someone shouted,

"What will a weak woman be able to do against you?" Eragon chuckled as he felt Arya stiffen next to him.

"This weak woman here can kick my butt without breaking a sweat." said Eragon. The crowd looked at him with disbelieving eyes.

"I accept your challenge Shadeslayer," said Arya. Eragon nodded and Roran approached with the two sticks in hand.

"No thank you Roran. We will not be needing those." said Eragon, drawing his sword as Arya did the same.

"What? But you'll kill each other." exclaimed Roran. Eragon shook his head and blocked his blade with magic. He looked at Arya who was ready and without another word, he lunged.

Their blades clashed with a shower of sparks. They parried and jumped back, only to jump forward again. Eragon executed his most complicated footwork as Arya dodged and dodged, waiting for a moment to strike. They did this for an hour, never slowing their deadly dance until Arya, sensing that Eragon was getting tired, jumped right over him, stuck out her leg to trip him, and, when he was successfully on the ground, stuck her blade up to his neck and said,

"Dead." The crowd was silent. Eragon smiled up at Arya and took the hand that she offered him. They slowly turned to the shocked crowd. All was quiet until Roran yelled,

"That was amazing cousin!" Eragon grinned and saw Arya's lips twitch upwards.

"Well shall we continue our walk, milady? asked Eragon, holding out his arm. Arya looked uncertainly at it then up at Eragon. She saw, in his eyes, only innocent courtesy. She smiled and took his arm, much to the delight of Eragon and they began to walk away.

"OY ERAGON!" yelled Roran, jogging up to them. "I forgot to tell you. The annual Crop Dance is tonight." Eragon froze in midstep.

"Are you serious? It's tonight?" Eragon groaned. Arya looked at him curiously.

"Yes so be at the center of town at sunset," replied Roran. And with that he was off, running back to the crowd.

"And what, pray tell, is this Crop Dance?" asked Arya.

"Just the worst event of the year." said Eragon. "It's a tradition for the people of Carvahall to host a dance to wish their crops good growth throughout the year."

"It does not sound as bad as you are making it." said Arya.

"Trust me. In the past years it has been anything but fun. One year I was forced to dance with this old lady who thought I was the most adorable thing ever. She kept on kissing my cheeks and ruffling my hair." Eragon shivered at the memory. Arya laughed. Eragon turned to look at her and said,

"Perhaps it won't be as bad this time." She nodded and broke eye contact.

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Saphira landed outside Horst's house, startling many people who were walking past. She saw Arya leaning against the wall and went to join her.

"_Where is Eragon?" _asked Saphira.

"Getting dressed," replied Arya impatiently. Saphira let out a grinding noise that meant she was laughing. Then she reached out her mind to Eragon and said,

"_What's taking you so long?"_

"_I'm almost ready. Tell Arya that I'll be there in a second."_ replied Eragon. Saphira relayed Eragon's message. A few minutes later Eragon emerged from the house.

**A/n: For those of you who have seen the movie… imagine his outfit like the one he was wearing before the battle of Farthen Dur. The one he was wearing underneath his armor.**

He looked at Arya and saw that she was wearing a simple Elvin gown. Eragon thought she looked absolutely stunning.

Together the three of them made their way to the center of town. When they got there they found that the music had already started playing and many couples were dancing. Eragon scanned the crowd looking for Roran. When he found him he grinned. Roran was doing a sort of dance with Katrina. What was most funny about this scene was Roran's face. He seemed to be mortified and kept stepping on Katrina's feet. Eragon glanced at Arya again and thought,

'_This might not be so bad after all. I can actually dance this time and I have Arya here with me.'_

"_Eragon, ask Arya to dance. Don't just stand there like an idiot." _yelled Saphira in his mind.

"_Alright, alright…you don't need to yell so loudly. I'm just nervous."_ replied Eragon. He slowly turned to Arya and said,

"Would you like to dance?" Arya turned to look at him, hesitated, and nodded her head. Elated, Eragon led her to where everybody was dancing. He uncertainly put his hand on Arya's waist and took her hand. Then they began to dance.

Everyone was in awe of the dancing couple. They moved so gracefully and with such ease. Every movement was perfect and the two were so in sync with each other that it looked as if they were meant for each other.

However, the two were oblivious to the staring eyes. The only thing that they were conscious about were each other. Eragon stared into her brilliant emerald eyes, not able to look away, and she stared right back. Arya moved her hand from Eragon's shoulder to his cheek. They both leaned in and…the song ended and the music stopped. As if broken from a trance both Eragon and Arya jerked away from each other as fast as they could. People looked at them with confused eyes. Arya looked around her quickly, then back at Eragon with frightened eyes, and bolted towards the edge of town.

"ARYA!" yelled Eragon. He quickly took off after her, ignoring Saphira's warnings.

"_I'll be back soon Saphira,"_ he quickly said.

He followed Arya's trail out of Carvahall and into the Spine. As he went deeper and deeper he had to slow down to find the trail. He walked for an hour before he came upon an opening in the dense trees. In the middle of the clearing sat Arya, arms around her knees. As Eragon approached he saw that she was shaking. Guilt instantly swept over him.

He dropped to his knees beside her and said, "Arya, I am so sorry for frightening you…I am responsible for all of this pain you are feeling and I understand if you never want to come near me again." Arya looked up at him, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"What frightened me was not that you were about to kiss me Eragon," she sobbed, "What frightened me was that I wanted you to kiss me," Eragon's eyes widened and he spluttered,

"So...so t-that means that you might perhaps lo..." Arya interrupted him before he could finish.

"NO," she yelled, "No matter how much either of us might wish it, we can not and will not ever be together." Eragon's eyes saddened as he replied,

"Why do you do this to yourself?" Arya ignored him and stood up and started to leave. Eragon, knowing that this was his last chance, grabbed her hand. She whipped around to face him, rage in her eyes.

"What do you think your do…" she was cut off as Eragon pulled her into a kiss that showed her just how much he was in love with her. Her body stiffened but she did not pull away. Eragon's hand slowly moved up to the back of her head and pushed her closer to him. She placed her hands around his neck and relaxed into the kiss.

When they finally needed the air they pulled away, panting. Eragon stared at Arya, expecting her to run off. When she didn't he brought his hand up to her face and stroked her cheek. Her eyes closed as she felt his feather like touch.

"Arya, I'm sorry but I just had to show you how much you mean to me." said Eragon, breaking the silence. Arya slowly walked up to him until they were almost touching, put her hands on both sides of his face and whispered,

"Don't apologize," and pulled him in for another kiss.

**A/n: Tell me what you think. I don't know when I'll be able to update next because school unfortunately starts tomorrow. My next update might be next weekend or earlier.**


	3. Chapter 3: Love and Tears

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Thanks once again for the great reviews. I apologize for the lack of updating. I sorta hit a rough spot in this story and it took me a while to come up with this. **

**Oh and just for clarification…Eragon and Arya are still in the glade in the forest… and no…they did not do anything naughty. **

Eragon groggily opened his eyes. Where was he? Then he remembered the night before and looked to his left to find Arya curled up next to him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, preparing to go back to sleep when suddenly,

"_Eragon! Where have you been? I've been worried sick. You've kept your mind blocked off from me the whole time."_ Eragon grimaced. He had forgotten about Saphira. Guilt suddenly swept over him.

"_Saphira, I am so sorry. I was a bit distracted last night."_

"_Ha I'm sure you were. How is your Elf?"_ Eragon didn't know if it was just his imagination but he thought he heard a bit of jealousy lace Saphira's words.

"_She's sleeping."_

"_Well I'm coming to get you now. Where are you?" _Eragon sent her a mental picture of where they were. Saphira grunted and said,

"_I'll be there soon." _ And cut off the connection. Eragon looked back at Arya as he felt her stir. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in everything around her. She brought her eyes to meet Eragon's and he smiled and said,

"Good morning Arya Svit-kona," Arya groaned and sat up, saying,

"Please Eragon. Stop it with the formalities, at least while we are alone. Eragon grinned.

"As you wish." Arya gave him a small smile and stood up, stretching like a cat. Eragon stared at her, marveling at her incredible beauty. Arya turned to look at him and said with a hint of humor,

"Well, are you just going to sit there all day?" Eragon grinned and stood up, walked over to Arya and embraced her from behind. She leaned back into him and put her hands on his, which were around her waist. She looked up at him and said,

"Don't I get a kiss Eragon?" Eragon smiled and complied.

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A few minutes later Saphira landed to find the two still kissing. She snorted and rolled her eyes before trudging over to Eragon and grabbing the back of his shirt with her talons.

"Hey!" yelled Eragon. He twisted and turned, trying to free himself.

"_So sorry to interrupt, but if I didn't we'd most likely be here all day." _She said, broadcasting her thoughts not only to Eragon but to Arya as well. Arya let out a small smile. Eragon rolled his eyes as Saphira gently let him down. When his feet touched the ground he walked to Saphira's side, jumped onto her back and held out a hand for Arya, which she took. As she settled in front of him Eragon distinctly smelled the scent of pine needles emanating from her. He found the smell very calming and laid his chin on her head. In turn, she leaned back into his chest. Saphira flexed her powerful wings and leaped into the air.

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They landed again on the outskirts of Carvahall. Eragon and Arya easily jumped off and made their way to Elain's house with Saphira trailing behind. As they neared the house Roran came running out the door yelling, "Where the heck did you go Eragon? Do you know how worried we were?" Eragon chuckled,

"I apologize Roran. Arya and I had some things to work out." Roran suddenly had a great big smirk on his face.

"Right, you were talking. Sure." Eragon, realizing the meaning of his words, turned bright red. He looked over at Arya to see that she was looking as calm and collected as always. Eragon shrugged and followed Roran into the house.

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The days went by very quickly and soon Eragon, although he didn't want to, started to think about leaving. He had sworn an oath to protect the Varden and he was worried that Galbatorix might launch another surprise attack. He went over this with Arya and Saphira and they both agreed enthusiastically.

Saphira was getting tired of being looked at as if she was a beast and Arya was simply tired of all of the lustful looks she was getting from the men in the village. Both were eager to head back to Surda.

On the night before their departure Eragon was strolling back, through an ally, from a last walk around his childhood home when he saw Katrina up ahead. As he approached she looked up and smiled.

"Eragon, I heard a rumor that you were leaving. Is it true?" Eragon sighed and said,

"Yes it is. Arya, Saphira and I have been from the Varden for far too long. If Galbatorix attacks I must be there to defend Surda." Katrina shuffled close to Eragon and looked at him more closely.

"So brave you are Eragon. Many would flee if they bore the responsibilities you have."

"Erm… thank you." said Eragon uncomfortably, scooting away from Katrina who had been inching closer to him.

"I bet many women wish they could be with you." said Katrina as Eragon bumped into the wall behind him.

"Umm…well I don't think…" he was cut off as Katrina jumped at him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. Eragon just stood there, shocked. After a second he began to return the kiss but an image of Arya passed through his mind and with a start he came to his senses. He quickly pushed Katrina away from him and just as he was about to say something, he heard something that made his blood run cold. A weak voice said,

"Eragon." Eragon whipped around to find Arya standing there, eyes welling up with tears. "How could you?" Eragon made to approach her but she stepped back, turned around and sprinted off into the night.

"Arya, wait!" yelled Eragon. But it was no use. She had already disappeared.

**a/n: Oooo cliffhanger…well sorta. Sorry that it's so short but an update is an update right? Oh and special thanks to Polkaxdottedxtie for giving me a lot of encouragement to continue this story.**


	4. Chapter 4: His One and Only

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**I just spent the last four hours chasing and getting tackled by little kids because my brother just had to have a big birthday party. You can probably just guess that I'm totally beat right now lol.**

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." muttered Eragon under his breath. Eragon was in a very distressed state. He hadn't seen Arya since she had caught him with Katrina and he was beginning to get worried. Suddenly Saphira's voice broke through the barriers of his mind.

"_Eragon! What were you thinking? Do you even know what you've done to Arya? She's in a right state. I can't believe you would go and do something like that, especially right after Arya trusted you enough to give you her heart."_

"_Saphira please, I already feel guilty enough as it is." _said Eragon.

"_Well you should be,"_ snapped Saphira. Eragon flinched at the steel in her voice.

"_Saphira, I don't know why I did it. One minute my head was filled with thoughts of Arya and then when Katrina kissed me it was like all thoughts of her were pushed from my mind." _

"_Eragon, do you love Katrina?" _asked Saphira.

"_No, of course not. My heart belongs to one and only one. That is why I can't figure out why I kissed her back."_ answered Eragon. There was silence as Saphira contemplated Eragon's words.

"_Eragon, I think you should talk to Arya and apologize profusely. Tell her the same story you told me and see what she says. If you're lucky she won't punch you."_

"_Well I would but I can't find her. Do you know where she is?" _asked Eragon.

"_Yes." _Saphira sent Eragon a mental image of where Arya was and Eragon set off to find her.

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When Eragon finally reached the spot that Saphira had showed him he looked around but saw no sign of Arya. Confused, he expanded his mind and felt a life force up above him. He looked up into a very thick tree and sighed.

"_Arya must be somewhere up there." _Eragon took a great leap and lumped into the tree. He climbed up the tree until he reached a thick branch at the top. There he found Arya, sitting with her legs curled up to her chest, face in her knees. She had not yet realized Eragon was there.

"Arya?" Eragon said softly. Arya's head shot up. She looked at Eragon and anger suddenly filled her emerald eyes.

"What do you want?" said Arya, her voice full of venom.

"Arya please, just listen to me." pleaded Eragon.

"And why should I?" asked Arya as she got up and jumped from the tree. Eragon quickly followed her and ran to get in front of her, making her stop.

"Arya listen. When Katrina kissed me it was like all other thoughts of reason had left my head."

"Well if that's the way that you feel then maybe you should just go to her right now and leave me alone." Arya then stepped past him and continued on. Eragon, realizing Arya had misunderstood grabbed her arm and yanked her to face him.

"Arya, that's not what I…" He was unable to finish his sentence because right at that moment Arya yanked free of his grip and slapped him. Quite hard, he noted. Arya turned and began to walk away when Eragon once again grabbed her arm. She whirled around, furious, but before she could inflict anymore bodily harm on him Eragon pushed her arms to her sides and pulled her into an embrace. She struggled to get free but Eragon held on with all of his strength. When she finally realized she was not going to be able to break free she stopped struggling and turned her face so she was not looking up at him. Eragon grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him and said,

"I love one woman, and one woman only," before kissing her. Arya stiffened in surprise. Eragon only pulled her closer to him. He continued, making the kiss as passionate as he could, hoping that Arya would realize that he truly loved her. After a few more seconds Arya surprised Eragon by beginning to kiss back. Eragon gingerly let go of Arya's arms when he was sure she would not try to hit him again. When her arms were fully freed she wrapped them around Eragon's neck and deepened the kiss.

When they finally broke apart Arya leaned her head against his muscled chest. Eragon thought that now might be a good time to tell Arya about what had happened.

"Arya, listen. When Katrina kissed me it was like all reason had left me, and not in a good way. I felt like I was being pulled to her and that's when you saw…" he left the sentence hanging. He glanced down at Arya to see her eyebrows furrowed like she was in deep thought.

"You say you felt pulled to her?" asked Arya.

"Yes," replied Eragon, "Until I thought of you." Arya flashed him a small smile, broke away from Eragon's embrace and began pacing.

"I feel like I've heard of something like this before, but I can't seem to remember." said Arya.

"Well, you can't be expected to remember everything. I mean, one hundred years is a long time." said Eragon cheekily. Arya softly hit him on the arm.

"Do you really want to start talking about my age, "young one." said a smirking Arya. Eragon smiled, knowing that Arya had finally forgiven him.

"_I am happy for you little one."_ said Saphira

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That night, as Eragon was snoring away, Arya was still trying to piece together what happened. All of a sudden it clicked. Arya jumped up and shook Eragon.

"Eragon. Eragon, wake up." whispered Arya. She shook him harder and when he still didn't wake she frowned.

'_He must be pretty tired.' _thought Arya. "Eragon wake up!" she whispered even louder in his ear. His only response was snore. Arya rolled her eyes and with a small grunt, pushed Eragon over the side of the bed. He hit the floor with a thunk and Arya scrambled over to the edge of the bed to make sure she hadn't hurt him. She looked down at him and her eyes widened.

'_Oh for… he didn't even wake up. At this rate I'll never get him up.'_

Meanwhile, Eragon was having a very nice dream which involved him, Arya and a large picnic basket in the middle of a field of flowers when the Arya in his dreams came up to him, pulled his head down so her mouth was at his ear, and very loudly shouted,

"Eragon… WAKE UP!!"

Eragon jerked awake was confused when he found himself on the floor with Arya looking down at him.

"Huh what?" asked Eragon, looking around. Suddenly he jumped up and said,

"What's wrong? Are we under attack?" Arya looked at him incredulously for a moment and then shook her head.

"No you idiot we are not under attack. And anyways, you wouldn't have been much help if we were. It took me nearly ten minutes to wake you and even then the only way was to enter your dreams. And by the way, what exactly were you dreaming of?" Eragon flushed at this.

"Nothing. Now why did you wake me?" asked Eragon, trying to change the subject.

"Because I finally remembered something similar to what happened to you happening in the past. You see about a hundred years ago an elfin couple fell madly in love. Nothing could tear them apart. Now, one day, an elfin sorceress saw the male elf and instantly fell in love with him. She tried everything to get the elf to fall in love with her but she failed miserably. In the end she resorted to some dark magic which, if the sorceress kissed the elf, he would be drawn to her. She positioned the time so the lady elf would see. When the man realized what he had done he quickly ran off to find his love but it was too late. In despair she had already thrown herself off a cliff. Days later driven by sadness he too plunged to his death to join his lover up in the heavens." There was a silence as Arya finished her story. Eragon let out a low whistle.

"Well it seems that I am lucky that you are not so dramatic, else we would both be dead and then what would the Varden do?" Arya rolled her eyes.

"Eragon, that's probably what whoever that lady was was hoping for."

"What do you mean "that lady"? It was Katrina." asked Eragon, confused.

"I do not believe it was actually Katrina. I have seen the real Katrina's mind and it is filled with love for Roran. I do not believe she would so easily cheat on him. And where would she have learned the magic. It takes a magic user with years of practice to accomplish that particular spell" Eragon nodded,

"It makes sense…but who?"

"I don't know, but I will find out. And when I do I think they will be happy to explain to me why they did it." said Arya menacingly. Eragon chuckled before wrapping an arm around Arya and pulling her down next to him on the bed.

"Night love." murmured Eragon. Arya's only response was snuggling closer to him.

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The next day found Arya and Eragon saddling Saphira up for the long journey back to Surda. Arya had just gone back inside Elain's house to grab the last few items when Eragon heard a twig crack behind him. He whipped around and saw Katrina walking toward him.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked him. "Don't you want to stay a little while longer?"

"Can't I'm afraid. The Varden needs us." replied Eragon, scooting away from her.

"Well then, how about a goodbye kiss?" said Katrina.

"I don't think so." said a voice from behind her. Katrina whipped around to find herself face to face with Arya. "Malthinae" growled Arya. Katrina instantly became frozen. "Astra rev**öl nartha vindre du **ëmprelna" (Reveal to me your true form)

Instantly Katrina's face began changing, as if molding itself into something new. When the changing stopped Eragon bent down to see the woman's face. As he saw her his face hardened.

"Trianna."

**a/n: If this chapter makes no sense tell me. Lol. Reviews are always great…**


	5. Chapter 5: The End and the Beginning

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Alright…time for apologies…I am so sorry that I have taken forever to update this story! Seriously its been like two years! I totally had a major writers block and had no idea what to write. I think I'm going to end this story soon so I can begin to write new stuff. Thank you to those who still will read this chapter even with lack of updating. **

Eragon was not happy. Not happy at all. It seemed as if this women had nothing better to do with her time then be a nuisance to him and Arya. "Trianna, what are you doing here?" Eragon asked. Trianna just smirked.

"What does it look like?" she said. Eragon, who was getting quite tired with her little word games cast a silent spell on her to make her reveal the truth.

"Alright, now that that's settled, tell us the truth. What are you doing here?"

"I'm following my orders. Orders from Galbatorix. He sent me to divide the two of you so that there would be a division between the races of humans and elves making it easier for him to secure a victory over the pathetic resistance." Trianna said. Eragon turned swiftly to look at Arya.

"That means Galbatorix must know that we are here. We must leave immediately. Also, I fear that the villagers will be in danger. We must do something to keep them safe.' Eragon said in a rush.

"Yes Eragon, I believe they should come with us, back to the Varden. That will grant them security and they may prove to be of assistance in the hard times to come." Arya answered. Eragon nodded.

"And what should we do about that one." Eragon asked, pointing a finger vehemently in Trianna's direction.

"_Eragon, I'm sure Nasuada can devise an appropriate punishment for her. I believe our priority at the moment is to leave this village.,"_ said Saphira. Eragon silently agreed. He looked over at Arya, cleared his throat and said,

"Villagers of Carvahall, it has just been brought to my attention that Galbatorix has been informed of my whereabouts. I do not think it is safe to leave you here to fend for yourselves. That is why I ask you to return with me to the Varden where you will be safe from harm." There was much murmuring throughout the crowd at Eragon's statement but it became quiet once more when Roran stepped away from the crown and came to stand before Eragon. In a loud and strong voice he proclaimed,

"I will go with you my brother." Eragon smiled at Roran and proceeded to give him a hug. Then he turned to the rest of the crowd.

"And the rest of you? What will you choose?" he asked. They all became silent once more and slowly, one by one, they began to walk up to where Arya, Eragon, Saphira, and Roran were standing and agree to Eragon's proposition.

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The next day found Eragon and Arya gliding slowly on Saphira as they gazed upon the people of Carvahall who had begun to make the long trek to the Varden. Eragon smiled in happiness and turned to gaze at Arya who was sitting behind him. Noticing his gaze Arya looked up to meet his eyes.

"What is it Eragon?" she asked.

"I still find it hard to believe that so much could have happened over the past few days. Words cannot express my joy and happiness. I have never felt so sure of our mission or our feelings as I do today." Eragon said. Arya smiled fondly at Eragon before leaning forward to gently kiss him. As Eragon kissed her back he knew that eventually everything would be made right. Galbatorix would be defeated, Trianna would be punished, and he and Arya would be together forever. This thought prevailed in his mind as Saphira let out a roar of agreement and elation as she glided toward the setting sun.

**A/N: It was a sucky ending I know!!! I kind of just wanted to end it though because I started this story way back when I was an 8****th**** grader and I just feel like I can write much better now. So anyways…thanks to all of the readers of this story. You have been really patient!**


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